UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — India-EU free trade pact will be ‘mother of all deals:’ Goyal

Q1. The India-EU trade negotiations that culminated at the 16th India-EU Summit (January 2026) were conducted on how many parallel tracks/agreements?

  • A. Two
  • B. Three
  • C. Four
  • D. Five

Q2. With reference to how the India-EU Free Trade Agreement concluded in 2026 differs from the negotiating framework launched in 2007, consider the following statements: 1. The 2007 framework was called the Bilateral Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA), whereas the 2026 agreement is officially the India-EU Free Trade Agreement. 2. The 2026 framework, unlike the 2007 BTIA, is structured on three separate tracks — an FTA, an Investment Protection Agreement and a Geographical Indications Agreement. 3. The 2007 BTIA negotiations were exclusively chaired by the Prime Minister of India, whereas the 2026 FTA was led from the Indian side by the Minister of Commerce and Industry. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The 2007 framework was called the Bilateral Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA), whereas the 2026 agreement is officially the India-EU Free Trade Agreement.
  2. The 2026 framework, unlike the 2007 BTIA, is structured on three separate tracks — an FTA, an Investment Protection Agreement and a Geographical Indications Agreement.
  3. The 2007 BTIA negotiations were exclusively chaired by the Prime Minister of India, whereas the 2026 FTA was led from the Indian side by the Minister of Commerce and Industry.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q3. In the context of India-EU economic engagement, the acronym 'BTIA' — the original name under which negotiations were launched in 2007 — refers to which one of the following?

  • A. Bilateral Trade and Investment Agreement
  • B. Brussels Trade and Investment Accord
  • C. Broad-based Tariff and Investment Arrangement
  • D. Bilateral Treaty on Industrial Affiliation

Q4. On the Indian side, which Union Ministry led the negotiation of the India-EU Free Trade Agreement concluded at the 16th India-EU Summit in January 2026?

  • A. Ministry of External Affairs
  • B. Ministry of Finance
  • C. Ministry of Commerce and Industry
  • D. Ministry of Corporate Affairs